Once More With Feeling, Non-Demon Version
by mmooch
Summary: Struggling with her pain of the last days in Sunnydale, Buffy sings to get it out. **Set of Songfics**
1. Chapter 1: IOU

**Once More With Feeling, Non-Demon Version**

Summary: Struggling with her pain of the last days in Sunnydale, Buffy sings to get it out. **Set of Songfics**

Warning: Angsty feelings.

Timeline: post-_'Chosen'_ with specific thoughts of _'Empty Places'_.

A/N: This was originally going to be a oneshot fic for the song coming in the 7th chapter, but morphed into this beast.

Thanks to my betas: zigpal and especially AshDawnSoulmates. She and I spent hours coming up with the right songs.

Disclaimer: BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission. Song sung in this chapter by Lee Greenwood.

**Chapter 1: I.O.U.**

**Streets of LA**

**3 weeks after the fall of Sunnydale…**

Oz's head snapped up at the familiar scent. He quickly scanned the streets for the owner and found the blonde hair waving back and forth as the person strode purposefully towards her destination. His eyebrow rose in speculation when he saw it was a Country/Western bar. That didn't seem like the Buffy Summers he knew 3 years ago.

The werewolf considered his options. When he left Sunnydale, it nearly tore him apart. He wasn't just leaving his lover, he left his family…his pack. It surprised Oz how much that hurt. Now he saw the female leader of their group alone and away from the Hellmouth.

His curiosity got the better of him and he followed her in.

If he were anyone else, what he found inside would have made him faint, cry out, or some other dramatic reaction. As it was, he just murmured, "Huh." Then he found himself a seat to watch 'Beth Osbourne' take the stage. By the crowd's reaction, she was both a regular and a popular one at that. He heard a woman at the next table warn her companion to have some tissues ready.

Beth – _Buffy_ – cleared her throat in the mic after speaking to the accompaniment band. "This one is for Spike. I may not have been able to love him the way he wanted me to, but without him, I wouldn't be here. He was my best friend these past few weeks. So, in memory of Spike!"

_You believe, that I've changed your life forever  
And you're never gonna find another somebody like me.  
And you wish, you had more than just a lifetime to give back all  
I've given you and that's what you believe._

Oz watched as she brushed away the tears that were falling down her cheeks as she fought her way through the song. Women in the crowd were silently weeping, soaking tissue after tissue. He thought about how nice her voice was as she started the chorus.

_But I owe you the sunlight in the morning  
And the nights of honest lovin that time can't take away.  
And I owe you more than life now, more than ever  
I know that it's the sweetest debt I'll ever have to pay._

The former Sunnydale resident wondered what Spike had done to earn this kind of respect from Buffy. Last he heard, Spike was basically mooching off the kindness of the gang because of a chip in his head.

_I'm amazed when you say it's me you live for  
You know that when I'm holding you you're right where you belong  
And my love, I can't help but smile with wonder.  
When you tell me all I've done for you 'Cause I've known all  
along…_

Buffy smiled softly when the people who had lighters held them up. Spike would have loved that. She poured her heart into the chorus. Her breath hitched slightly when she repeated it with even more meaning.

…_I know that it's the sweetest debt I'll ever have to pay._

When the final chorus faded out, the audience erupted in applause, and Oz easily joined in. In the corner of his eye, he saw two other Sunnydale survivors enter the room. They too were startled to see Buffy on stage singing, but they quietly took a seat where she couldn't see them.

Before Oz could make his way over to them, the music started for another song.

* * *

A/N: Next…_'Concrete Angel'_ by Martina McBride.


	2. Chapter 2: Concrete Angel

**Chapter 2: Concrete Angel**

Warning: Angsty feelings.

Thanks to my betas: zigpal and especially AshDawnSoulmates. She and I spent hours coming up with the right songs.

Disclaimer: BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission. Song sung in this chapter by Martina McBride.

* * *

**The Last Roundup**

Cordelia Chase couldn't believe she was in a Country/Western bar! And listening to Buffy of all people singing here!

She – meaning Cordy – just woke up a couple weeks ago from her mystical coma. The Powers figured they owed her for the crap her body had been put through the past few years. Mostly, they felt bad for not realizing Skip was playing both sides of the fence and allowed her to be taken from their side to serve as Jasmine's incubator.

When she finally got her bearings again, Cordy was stunned to learn that Angel had accepted control of Wolfram & Hart, and that Sunnydale was a sinkhole…literally.

As she watched the survivors of the final battle there, she was struck by the realization that something wasn't right between Buffy and the others. There was some kind of divide separating them. It didn't seem to be affecting the others much, but Cordy saw it tearing her former high school nemesis apart.

And she wasn't the only one who noticed. That's why she and her friend were here now, watching Buffy pour her heart out on stage. They knew that she snuck out at night – and that it had nothing to do with slaying – so they followed her tonight. Buffy's tribute to Spike was a surprise, except Cordy heard that he had sacrificed himself to close the Hellmouth, so not really that much.

Just then, Buffy started another song.

_She walks to school with the lunch she packed  
Nobody knows what she's holdin' back  
Wearin' the same dress she wore yesterday  
She hides the bruises with linen and lace_

_The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask  
It's hard to see the pain behind the mask  
Bearing the burden of a secret storm  
Sometimes she wishes she was never born_

Cordy smirked. That sounded just like the Sunnydale mentality. She could guess that this song wasn't about slaying, but it fit anyway. People just ignored the wounds Buffy would sometimes come to school with. Even she and the rest of the Scoobies would come in bruised up. But nobody considered there was any kind of abuse going on – even of the human variety. She tuned back in to listen to the chorus.

_Through the wind and the rain  
She stands hard as a stone  
In a world that she can't rise above  
But her dreams give her wings  
And she flies to a place where she's loved  
Concrete angel_

That disturbed the former Queen C for some reason. Buffy didn't feel she was loved? What the hell had happened in Sunnydale? Part of the reason she hated the blonde Slayer was how the others idolized her.

_Somebody cries in the middle of the night  
The neighbors hear, but they turn out the lights  
A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate  
When morning comes it'll be too late…(chorus)_

Buffy wasn't considering killing herself, was she? Or allowing a vamp or demon to take her out? That was so not going to happen; not when Cordy was around. A glance at her companion told her she wasn't alone in her thoughts.

_A statue stands in a shaded place  
An angel girl with an upturned face  
A name is written on a polished rock  
A broken heart that the world forgot…(chorus)_

Cordy remembered when they were told of Buffy's death when they got back from Pylea. Did Buffy even have a headstone? The funeral was keep quiet with just the Scoobies attending. The AI team would have gone, but none of them wanted to advertise the Slayer's death to the demon world.

Buffy finished the final chorus, and opposed to the rowdy applause from the previous song, this time the crowd clapped more somberly. The crying from several patrons was easily heard over it. Even the seer was fighting back tears. It wasn't fair for Buffy to do this to her! However, she doubted that the blonde would appreciate the sympathy.

The next song started up, startling everyone with its lively beat. Only those that knew her – and about her resurrection – understood why she sang it.

* * *

A/N: Next…_'Heaven'_ by Los Lonely Boys.


	3. Chapter 3: Heaven

**Chapter 3: Heaven**

Warning: Angsty feelings.

A/N: Sorry for the wacky theology in this chapter. I'm basing it off the show and not anyone's personal belief system.

Thanks to my betas: zigpal and especially AshDawnSoulmates. She and I spent hours coming up with the right songs.

Disclaimer: BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission. Song sung in this chapter by Los Lonely Boys.

* * *

Buffy laughed to herself when she showed the song list to the band. She had to insist a couple times that she knew what she was asking for with the next song. Even though it didn't match the style of the other songs, the message of it had a strong personal meaning for her.

Since Willow and the others tore her away from her rest, she had been searching for answers. Once she crawled out of that pit of despair she was in before Spike left, she realized that if she ever wanted to get back to her reward, she couldn't continue on that way. Despite the fact she got in the first time, Buffy was worried that it wasn't the same as getting your hand stamped at an amusement park; each admittance required its own cover charge.

It was funny – in a heartbreaking sort of way – but this song hurt more to sing than the others on her list tonight. While Willow was recovering in England, Buffy came across it by accident, and since then, it became her daily mantra to the Powers, or God, or whoever was in charge. It was what fueled her interest in country music.

_Save me from this prison  
Lord help me get away  
Cause only you can save me now  
From this misery_

Even now, almost two years later, Buffy still felt like she was in hell. Though life had gotten a little easier to bear, it was still a struggle to get through the day sometimes. And this last battle certainly didn't make that better. The only things that got her through were her sister and her mission. Then when her sister turned away from her, the mission almost wasn't enough anymore. That was one of the things she owed Spike for – reminding her that it should be.

_Cause I've been lost in my own place  
And I'm getting' weary  
{How far is heaven}  
And I know I need to change  
My ways of livin'  
{How far is heaven} _

_Lord can you tell me_

She gave a soft smile when she heard the band join in with the _{How far is heaven}_ part. Even if they didn't understand her choice, they still gave it their all. The audience appeared to enjoy it, though they too looked bewildered.

_Cause I've been locked up way too long  
In this crazy world…  
I just keep on prayin' Lord  
Just keep on livin'…  
Lord can you tell me…  
I just got to know how far…  
Lord can you tell me_

As Buffy sang the Spanish words, she briefly thought of her friend Oz, and what he was doing these days. She used his last name to honor him, and hoped he was well. She wondered if there was something she or the others could have done to get him to stay – or if it was better for him to get away. She just missed his quiet support sometimes – especially since Tara had died. Those two were the ones that demanded the least of Buffy, and judged the least, too.

_Tu que estas en alto cielo,  
Echame tu bendiciòn*_

_Cause I know there's a better place  
Than this place I'm livin'…  
So I just got to show some faith  
And just keep on giving…  
Lord can you tell me…  
I just wanna know how far…  
Lord can you tell me…  
'cause I just gotta know how far,  
I just wanna know far_

By the time she finished, Buffy was choking back the tears. She wouldn't consider herself suicidal anymore, but she didn't fear death the way she used to. She only hoped that the next time would be it for good. That she would be allowed to rest.

She took a small break to get a drink of water. When she was under control again, she nodded to the band and they got ready to start the next song. But first she needed to give it a dedication.

* * *

A/N: *{translated from Spanish: You that's in a higher place; Send me down a blessing}

A/N2: Next…_'End of the World'_ by Skeeter Davis.


	4. Chapter 4: End of the World

**Chapter 4: End of the World**

Warning: Angsty feelings.

Thanks to my betas: zigpal and especially AshDawnSoulmates. She and I spent hours coming up with the right songs.

Disclaimer: BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission. Song sung in this chapter by Skeeter Davis.

* * *

Wes was still trying to figure out why he and Cordy were the ones here listening to Buffy. He would have thought Angel would be here instead. But the ensouled vampire got all broody when Buffy told them that Spike sacrificed himself to save the world, so he missed the signs that there was trouble between the Slayer and her team. Having been through this themselves, he and Cordy hadn't. The others from the AI group might have known something was wrong if they knew the team dynamics from years before in Sunnydale.

His ears perked up when she gave this song a dedication. Where the dedication to Spike was a bittersweet memorial, this one was just bitter. "This is to the man I loved as a father for years. We had been to hell and back, and grew stronger because of it. But when I needed him the most, he abandoned me, just like my real father did."

The former Watcher shared a stunned/angered look with the seer. Giles left Buffy? Was she being literal or figurative? He supposed in the end it didn't really matter; Buffy felt alone.

_Why does the sun go on shining?  
Why does the sea rush to shore?  
Don't they know it's the end of the world,  
'Cause you don't love me anymore?_

Wes remembered the memo stating why Giles had been fired: he had a father's love for his Slayer that rendered him useless to the cause. Witnessing the pair firsthand, Wes knew that Travers was only half right. Giles did love Buffy – and vice versa – but it only strengthened them as a team, not weakened them.

_Why do the birds go on singing?  
Why do the stars glow above?  
Don't they know it's the end of the world.  
It ended when I lost your love._

What could have happened to make Buffy think she lost his love? Did she lose his love? She obviously thought so. A small part of Wes wondered if she would accept him as her Watcher now. He dismissed it as soon as it crossed his mind; he had a new life and new responsibilities here. That didn't mean he couldn't be a friend to her though.

_I wake up in the morning and I wonder,  
Why everything's the same as it was.  
I can't understand. No, I can't understand,  
How life goes on the way it does._

_Why does my heart go on beating?  
Why do these eyes of mine cry?  
Don't they know it's the end of the world.  
It ended when you said goodbye._

As she repeated the final refrain, Wes guessed that if he took it literally, Giles physically left her. He knew that the older man was still there when she died. That would mean he left when she came back. The realization stunned him. What would possess him to do such a thing? Maybe they should check him for possession when they got back to the hotel. He leaned over to whisper the suggestion to Cordy, and she nodded her agreement.

When the applause died down, the band started up with yet another unusual song selection.

* * *

A/N: Next…_'I Can't Do That Anymore'_ by Faith Hill.


	5. Chapter 5: I Can’t Do That Anymore

**Chapter 5: I Can't Do That Anymore**

Warning: Angsty feelings.

Thanks to my betas: zigpal and especially AshDawnSoulmates. She and I spent hours coming up with the right songs.

Disclaimer: BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission. Song sung in this chapter by Faith Hill.

* * *

Though she didn't give this song a dedication, Buffy knew who she was sing this to. He was the first person she met when she arrived in Sunnydale. His love for her was sometimes what helped her to survive, then almost caused her to be destroyed. She learned early on that her friends had expectations of her – him especially.

She even grew to think that their dreams for her life were hers. They couldn't stand Angel having part of her heart, so they pushed her to have 'normal' relationships – even when they chose partners who had supernatural ties. The fact that Xander pushed her to chase after Riley when he proved to be a liability should have been the final straw.

Though the words were from a wife to her husband, Buffy still felt the sentiment applied to her and the Scoobies.

_Cut my hair the way you wanted  
Watched you become important  
Quit my job to make our new home far away  
Now you're Mr. Successful and I'm queen of the treadmill  
Trying to stay the size you think that I should stay  
I used to dream about what I would be  
Last night I dreamed about a washing machine_

It would have surprised the blonde Slayer to know that at least two – possibly three – members of her audience understood who she was singing this to. They saw how Xander had put Buffy on a pedestal, and how he punished her when she failed to live up to his expectations of her.

When Wes was in Sunnydale, he saw it. However, he was busy trying to get her to be a Council-worthy Slayer, so he didn't care about her personal drama. If he had his way, her friends would have been cut out of her life entirely. Now he wondered if that would have been such a bad thing. Sure, they helped her live longer, but if this was how she felt, was that truly a good thing?

_I keep on giving  
But I can't stop living  
A woman needs a little something of her own  
I like happy endings  
I don't like depending  
I keep right on pretending  
But I can't do that anymore_

Over the years she tried to conform to the demands of her friends, but she couldn't anymore. She needed to live for herself now. That didn't mean she wouldn't care for them or her sister; just that she would do it on her terms, not theirs. When she got back to the hotel that night, she would tell them.

_Now you say I'm being silly  
But you don't know me really  
You never take the time to ask me how I feel_

Somewhere down deep I know you really love me  
But you can't see that what we have's not all I needed…{chorus}

Cordy almost snorted out loud. The first lines of the last verse really did sound like Dweeb-boy. She was ashamed to admit that she had brushed off the feelings of the other girl as well. But in her defense, she never claimed to be her friend – at least not back then. She might have to offer the proverbial olive branch. It was clear that Buffy needed somebody, and if the Scoobies weren't going to be there for her, the seer would.

_You try to tell me I'm not being fair to you  
But life's too short for a selfish attitude…{chorus}_

Oz wondered if it was too late to be Buffy's friend. Would she forgive him for leaving? Or was she so desperate for somebody to care for her, that she wouldn't worry about the past? He would have to find out. He was willing to earn her trust back if necessary.

Taking a sip of water, Buffy prepared for the next song. She first heard it the night Giles left after Willow's memory spell. But she was thinking of another person tonight when she sang it.

* * *

A/N: Next…_'Goodbye To You'_ by Michelle Branch.


	6. Chapter 6: Goodbye To You

**Chapter 6: Goodbye To You**

Warning: Angsty feelings.

Thanks to my betas: zigpal and especially AshDawnSoulmates. She and I spent hours coming up with the right songs.

Disclaimer: BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission. Song sung in this chapter by Michelle Branch.

* * *

When she first heard the song, the blonde Slayer was grieving her Watcher leaving her. He knew she had been torn out of heaven, but still chose to abandon her – for her own good. Gee, where did she hear that argument before?

Tonight she was thinking of her sister, though. The person she died to save. Sure, she was saving the world as well, but that was just an afterthought. The world was only worth saving if Dawn was saved too. She still wasn't entirely sure why her blood would close the portal, but she figured it was one of the mystical things that only the Powers understood.

_Of all the things I've believed in  
I just want to get it over with  
Tears form behind my eyes  
But I do not cry  
Counting the days that pass me by_

She gave an ironic chuckle in her mind during the next verse. The fact the last three years were the only time Dawn was real made it that much more painful.

_I've been searching deep down in my soul  
Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old  
It feels like I'm starting all over again  
The last three years were just pretend  
And I said,_

As she moved into the chorus, Buffy felt her heart break. She knew she hadn't been a good sister to Dawn when she came back, but she tried – or at least she did once she stopped trying to punish herself for being less than human. Until the mess with the First interfered, she and Dawn were getting closer too. Maybe not best friends, but who could expect that? She was Dawn's guardian after all; it was a given they would butt heads occasionally.

_Goodbye to you  
Goodbye to everything I thought I knew  
You were the one I loved  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to_

Then all the Potentials were dumped in her lap, and the tenuous relationship fell to the back burner. Long apocalypses were murder on personal relationships. But she had a duty to perform and she would try her best, even if it wasn't enough.

She sang the next verse and chorus again, trying to block the pain of that night after the vineyard. While the others hurt her with their betrayal, it was Dawn's words and the look in her eyes that destroyed her spirit. She didn't even recognize the person glaring at her, telling her she needed to leave them.

_And it hurts to want everything and nothing at the same time  
I want what's yours and I want what's mine  
I want you  
But I'm not giving in this time…{__Chorus x2}_

Buffy still wanted to have that relationship with her sister. That was part of the reason for her latest decision. But even if Dawn took their side again, she wouldn't back down this time. This time she would be strong for herself. Despite Dawn's age, she believed she was capable of making her own choices, and Buffy would let her now. The gang would keep her safe – or at least as safe as somebody in their world could be.

She whispered the final words, more for herself than for Dawn. Then, when the crowd quieted down, she announced her final song for the evening.

* * *

A/N: Next…_'__Don't You Ever Get Tired (Of Hurting Me)__'_ by Ronnie Milsap.


	7. Chapter 7: Don’t You Ever Get Tired Of

**Chapter 7: Don't You Ever Get Tired (Of Hurting Me)**

Warning: Angsty feelings.

A/N: This was the original song that I planned to write for.

Thanks to my betas: zigpal and especially AshDawnSoulmates. She and I spent hours coming up with the right songs.

Disclaimer: BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission. Song sung in this chapter by Ronnie Milsap.

* * *

"My last song is for the people I've been with the past several years. We were once closer than family, but I made a mistake – probably a few – and they haven't forgiven me. Didn't matter that others made the same mistakes and were instantly absolved of blame. Well, you didn't come to hear my pathetic life story, so I'll get back with the singing," Buffy said with a heartbroken smile.

_You make my eyes run over all the time_

_You're happy when I'm out of my mind_

_You don't love me but you won't let me be_

_Don't you ever get tired of hurting me?_

She knew that it wasn't as one-sided as the song made it sound, and they weren't really that bad. But unless she became a songwriter, she had to make do with partial truths. And seriously, was anybody's life as bad as some country songs made them sound? Wasn't the point to purge the feelings by exaggerating them? Well, if you sang, then let go – which was what she was planning to do tonight.

_You must think I look bad with a smile_

_For you haven't let me wear one in such a long, long while_

_Still I keep coming back, how can this be_

_Don't you ever get tired of hurting me?_

Buffy took a good look around the room for the first time during the instrumental. She was shocked and a little worried to see Wes and Cordy. How much had they heard? Oh well, too late for her to stop now. If she had continued looking at the audience, she would have seen Oz too, but then the singing part of the song started again, and she poured her pain into it.

_You must think I look bad with a smile_

_For you haven't let me wear one in such a long, long while_

_Still I keep coming back, how can this be_

_Don't you ever get tired of hurting me?_

As she belted out the final line again, Buffy stared at the former Sunnydale residents. The blonde Slayer knew that she was going to have some 'splaining to do. Would they listen or just judge her like the others? She knew they had both changed since leaving Sunnydale, so she couldn't really say.

_Don't you ever get tired of hurting me?_

They were waiting for her when she got through the crowd.

"Hey, Slaygal," Cordy greeted gently. They needed to establish right away that this wasn't an intervention in the confrontational sense. She and Wes only wanted to help Buffy.

The tone must have worked, because the guarded look on Buffy's face slipped a little. "Been here long?" she inquired.

"Since the end of your tribute to Spike," Wes answered. "He was truly that helpful to you? Was it simply because of his sacrifice?"

"Why don't we take this somewhere more private?" Buffy suggested, glancing pointedly at the people around them.

As they moved out of the bar, Oz considered catching up to them, but decided that Wes and Cordy had things under control for now. He would talk to Buffy later. She probably was staying at Angel or her dad's. He'd check them out in a little while. First he had to figure out if he wanted to see the others or not – especially if things were really that bad. It might be safer to see her alone. He mentally rolled his eyes when he came to the realization he was coming off a little stalkerish. At least she was used to that with the men in her life. He smirked as he exited the bar.

* * *

A/N: Next…_'Stronger'_ by Britney Spears.


	8. Chapter 8 Stronger

**Chapter 8: Stronger**

Warning: Angsty feelings.

Thanks to my betas: zigpal and especially AshDawnSoulmates. She and I spent hours coming up with the right songs.

Disclaimer: BtVS characters belong to Joss Whedon / Mutant Enemy. I claim no rights to any copyrighted material. Please do not copy or take this story without my permission. Song sung in this chapter by Britney Spears.

* * *

Walking away from the Hyperion with a duffel bag, Buffy began replaying the previous night and this morning. Wes and Cordy asked what happened in Sunnydale, starting with if Giles really left her after she returned from hell. Shocked was an understatement when she said she was in heaven, not hell. Apparently they never got the update on her situation.

A couple hours later, she told them the decision she came to: she was going to take some time off to be Buffy Summers. Learn who she was without the pressures of being The Slayer. Surprisingly, they were very supportive of the idea and promised to help however they could – including money and identities for her and Dawn.

But that's not the way it turned out.

When she informed the core Scoobies, Faith and Robin, they blew up. She was running away again. She was being selfish. She was abandoning her duty. She was-- Not listening by that point. These weren't things she hadn't heard before or even considered herself.

Buffy calmly explained that she needed this time that she should have had right after her resurrection to pull herself together. After all, Willow got a vacation when she tried to end the world, why shouldn't she get one for saving it? It wasn't as if she was leaving them Slayer-less. Not only did they have all the minis, but they had the true holder of the Slayer line, Faith. It was Faith's responsibility to be the Slayer. In fact, they all voted her to be the leader, or did they forget?

_Ooh hey, yeah yeah _

_Hush, just stop  
There's nothing you can do or say, baby  
I've had enough  
I'm not your property as from today, baby  
You might think that I won't make it on my own  
But now I'm_

A song came to mind and she started humming it to herself when she thought about them claiming she needed them more than they needed her. If that was true, why were they so freaked about her leaving? Buffy frostily explained that that might have been true before they cast her aside for Faith. But once Spike helped remind her that she was fighter, with or without the Slayer in her, she realized she didn't need anyone to define her anymore.

_{Chorus:}  
Stronger than yesterday  
Now it's nothing but my way  
My loneliness ain't killing me no more  
I Am stronger_

When that didn't work for them, Dawn said she wouldn't leave with Buffy. Whether she was telling the truth about wanting to stay with the group or not, the idea backfired. Buffy told her that was her choice; Wes would get somebody from Wolfram & Hart's legal department to draw up papers for her to sign over custody to one of the others. She snorted mentally; did they really think that emotional blackmail would work?

_Than I ever thought that I could be, baby  
I used to go with the flow  
Didn't really care 'bout me  
You might think that I can't take it, but you're wrong  
'Cause now I'm…{Chorus}_

_Oh Come on, now  
Oh, yeah_

As Buffy was walking out, she heard Wes and Cordy start in on the Sunnydale people; Cordy just in a general sense, and Wes taking Giles – who, sadly, _wasn't_ possessed or anything like that – to task for failing as a Watcher. She felt a momentary wince of sympathy for her ex-Watcher/father-figure when Wes said that Travers would have done better. Abandoning his Slayer after she was torn from her rest was inexcusable – no matter what the rationale.

_Here I go, on my own  
I don't need nobody, better off alone  
Here I go, on my own now  
I don't need nobody, not anybody  
Here I go(fade), alright, here I go(fade to loud)…{Chorus and partial repeats}_

The song finished playing in her head as she turned a corner, barely avoiding a collision with another blast from the past. "Hey, Oz."

"Caught your act last night. Wondering if you could use a friend," he shyly offered.

She smiled at the quiet werewolf. "Let's grab a coffee."

* * *

A/N: And that's the end of this story.


End file.
